Infrastructure Matters - Issue 5: May 2016 - Ministry of Education
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Infrastructure Matters Issue 5: May 2016
Fresh start planned for Treaty of Waitangi
Thorndon School school plaques
mark special year
“We’re now quite closely linked to the history of the
Treaty, which is pretty neat.”
Halswell School held a ceremony when it unveiled its
plaque, which included singing a waiata and planting a
tree.
“The plaque has been received really positively by
everybody involved, which is really cool. It will be a
focal point in commemorations around the Treaty in
years to come.”
New Plymouth Girls’ High School also has a significant
history. Principal Jenny Ellis says the school was
founded in 1885, and her own great-grandmother was
a founding student.
Halswell School children and principal Bruce Topham proudly
show their Waitangi commemoration plaque, on permanent The school’s plaque was presented in connection with
display in a garden of native plants at their new school. the new Millennium Block, which was built in 2000.
Weathertightness issues led to a programme of repair
work, which was completed in 2015. The building
A handful of New Zealand schools houses the school’s library and administration areas,
belong to a very special club. and makes a striking modernist statement among the
school’s more historic buildings.
Last year marked 175 years since the Treaty of
Thorndon School students Waitangi was signed, and to commemorate the
Gigi Freeman and Charles Parangi-Brown
anniversary, the Ministry of Education offered all new
are among those who will benefit from a
weathertight school schools and schools completing major developments
in 2015 special commemorative plaques.
Two of the schools which received plaques were
Halswell School in Christchurch, and New Plymouth
Girls’ High School in Taranaki.
Leaky buildings will be a thing of the All of the new learning spaces will be flexible,
contributing to an innovative learning environment. Halswell School was rebuilt following the Canterbury
past when a $9 million redevelopment earthquakes, and opened its doors at the beginning of
Thorndon School occupies a small, compact site, so
at Thorndon School is complete. 2015.
the new buildings will be configured to ensure there
Principal Bruce Topham says as soon as he heard
Katie Adlam
The Wellington school is one of the oldest in the is enough outdoor learning and play space, and
country, but it’s the buildings which were built in the enhance access-ways around the school grounds. about the plaques, he liked the idea.
1990s that have failed to remain weathertight. “Halswell School was first built in 1864 so it is almost
Construction will happen in two phases, with a New Plymouth Girls’ High School head students with their
Planning is now under way to repair and temporary village of classrooms situated on the as old as the Treaty itself,” he says. plaque in front of the newly repaired Millennium Building.
replace those buildings as part of the Ministry’s neighbouring Wellington Girls’ College site while
weathertightness assessment and repair programme. redevelopment work is underway. The school has
The school will have new teaching and administration already moved into this space.
blocks and an existing building will be turned into a Thorndon School was first established as St Paul’s Marking the Treaty of Waitangi at 175 years
new library and resource centre. School in Sydney Street in 1852. Around 1873 its name The commemorative plaques were just one of several ways schools marked the milestone in New Zealand’s history.
The new teaching block will comprise 13 learning was changed to Thorndon School, and it moved to its Some schools took up the opportunity to install bilingual signage in their school; some even developed it in
spaces, replacing the school’s 11 existing classrooms current site in 1880. partnership with their local iwi.
and providing two extra learning spaces to Construction will begin later this year, and is expected The Ministry also launched a new website (www.waitangi.tki.org.nz) to highlight resources about the Treaty.
accommodate the growth in numbers of students at to take around 15 months to complete. Schools and communities have published their own commemorative projects on the site for others to learn from
the school. and enjoy.
2 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 3
Guillame Charton
Sky-high dreams
for Wakatipu High Public Private
Partnerships
School Wakatipu High School is one of four
new schools to be built and maintained
under the Ministry of Education’s second
Public Private Partnership (PPP).
In a PPP, a private partner is
responsible for designing, building,
financing and maintaining the school
property for a contracted term - in
this case, 25 years after the school
opens. This effectively guarantees that
the buildings will be fit-for-purpose
The Wakatipu High School community throughout the life of the contract.
gathered to mark the start of
construction of their new facilities. The principal and board of trustees are
still responsible for the education, and
the Government still owns the land and
buildings. However, any property issues
that arise are the responsibility of the
It’s all go for a new school for Wakatipu High School in Queenstown.
Guillame Charton
private partner to put right. This means
that school leadership does not have
The Year 9 to 13 secondary school will be relocating quality, to help students concentrate, and facilities to spend time on property - they can
from its existing site to a new property in Remarkables will be equipped with ICT infrastructure specifically focus on teaching and learning instead.
Park. This will allow the school to expand its growing designed to support digital learning. The first PPP we completed was for two
roll from around 840 to 1200. new schools in Auckland; Hobsonville
The new facilities will include a multipurpose theatre
The new facilities are being designed to allow future space, gym, specialist learning facilities, a dance Point Primary School (completed in
expansion that could cater for up to 1800 students on studio, and a music rehearsal and recording studio. 2013) and Hobsonville Point Secondary
the site. School (completed in 2014).
There will also be sports grounds for soccer, rugby
Wakatipu High School will continue to operate from and cricket and hard courts for netball and tennis. Deputy Prime Minister Our second PPP programme involves
its current site until it moves. Bill English joins two four schools which are under
Details of the design for Wakatipu High School are
students in turning the development now:
The new school will have flexible learning spaces currently being finalised and the school has chosen to first piece of earth on
which are adaptable with large open spaces and have an innovative learning environment. the new school site. • Ormiston Junior College, Auckland
smaller break out rooms allowing students to learn in — to be completed in 2017 (new
Innovative learning environments include flexible
groups, work with their peers or learn independently. school).
learning spaces which can be adapted to suit different
This helps them develop skills such as collaboration as teaching and learning styles. • Aranui Community Campus /
well as independent problem solving. Haeata, Christchurch — to be
Site works will begin around the middle of the year, Artist’s impression of the new completed in 2017 (new school).
Acoustics, lighting, heating and air quality will be high- and actual construction by the end of 2016. Wakatipu High School
• Rolleston College, Canterbury — to
be completed in 2017 (new school).
• Wakatipu High School, Queenstown
— to be completed in 2018
(relocation of existing school).
A third PPP programme involving six
schools has also been announced for
three new primary schools in Auckland,
one new primary school in Hamilton
and the relocation and co-location of
Shirley Boys’ and Avonside Girls’ high
schools in Christchurch.
4 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 5
Reconstructing New Zealand’s first The original three buses which brought students to
school bus is a labour of love for Piopio District High School in 1924.
Max Laver (left) and Brian Tegg.
Alexander Turnbull Library
Deep in the heart of the King Country, The team has put in a huge amount of research,
poring over the buses’ original specifications
a little piece of school history is being unearthed in the National Archives, and examining
lovingly restored. historic photographs. They found the three buses
were originally built for the princely sum of £63.
Back in 1924, the government funded the first three
school buses in the country, to pick up kids from farms Boatbuilder Max Laver says the buses would have
out in the country and take them to school in Piopio. been built by wood craftsmen in the day, and the
team was doing the same thing, in recreating the
Brian Tegg, former principal at Piopio College, is wooden framework and attaching it to the chassis.
building a replica of the buses with the help of local
artisans Max Laver and Mark Carter, the Piopio College The attention to detail extends to placement of the
Trust and the local Historic Society. screws, and even the original horsehair canvas is
being tracked down to cover the seats.
Brian says the roads weren’t sealed back then, so it
would have been a bumpy ride. “We’re wanting it to be as authentic as it’s possible to
be - 90 years later,” Max says.
“They were most uncomfortable, but they changed
the whole ‘access to education’ psyche in New Piopio College Trust is looking to raise around
Zealand from then on.” $95,000 to cover the cost of reconstructing the bus,
and to house it in a purpose-built shed on Piopio’s
The Ford Model T buses ran on routes out to main road. They have already received contributions
Historic school
Paemako, Arapae and Te Mapara, and a fourth one from the Ministry of Education, Waitomo District
was later added for a route to Wairere. Council, Trust Waikato, and members of the local
The buses initially transported around 90 students, community.
more than half of the school’s roll at the time, and
they ran for 10 years before the next model bus was
bus motors into
introduced.
Today, the Ministry of Education spends around $186
million a year in getting kids to school where distance
or access is a barrier - around 100,000 students every
day.
the future
Brian is keen to bring this part of New Zealand’s
education history to life. He came up with the idea
more than 20 years ago when he was doing research
for the college’s 75th jubilee.
“It struck me, the uniqueness of it,” he says. “It was
something that sat in my head for years and years.”
When he found an original 1921 vehicle, complete with
chassis and working motor, he got together with Max Piopio College students Matthew Denize and Jack Griffin take
and Mark and set about converting it into a school bus. a turn behind the wheel of the replica school bus.
6 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 7
Special dog brings
The intelligence and easy-going nature of
Go Bus
trained assistance dog Lobo have made
him a natural companion for students on
the Ministry’s special education transport.
joy to students
he says. “It is really neat to be part of these kids’ lives
and watch them grow and develop over time.
School transport driver
George Dempsey with “I enjoy seeing the kids each day, it is just awesome.
Lobo.
They always give me a nice big smile and when they
come out of school and see me I always get a great
reaction.”
George, who has a background in farming, says he
has always loved dogs, so when he heard about a
Hamilton organisation that was looking for volunteers
to help raise assistance dogs he signed up.
He helps raise one dog at a time for a period of 12
to 14 months and teaches them the basics, including
household rules, good manners and social skills. The
assistance dogs then go off for advanced training
for their future roles working with people in the
community with disabilities.
“I love working with the dogs,” George says. “I’ve
learnt a lot from doing it.”
George was speaking to his manager when the pair
had the idea of taking the dogs along on his daily
school transport runs.
Together they got permission from the children’s parents,
Big smiles greet George Dempsey when
and ensured the school was happy with the idea.
he arrives to transport students with
When George started bringing the first dog on his runs,
special education needs to and from he says the kids all wanted to sit beside it and pat it.
school in Hamilton.
“They were all very excited,” he says. “I had to explain
For the past three years George has worked as a that it’s a working dog so we have to do things a bit
driver for Go Bus Transport, one of the Ministry’s differently.”
transport providers.
George says while the children love having the dogs
Twice a day George jumps into his van and heads off come for a ride in the van, it is not just beneficial for
to do his pick-ups and drop-offs. But unlike many the students.
other drivers, George takes a special friend along for
“It is really great for the dogs and for their social skills
the ride - Lobo, his black Labrador.
as many of them will end up working with children.”
In his spare time George volunteers as a puppy
George’s last assistance dog went to Tauranga after
raiser for Assistance Dogs New Zealand. So, with the
its advanced training so that it could work with a
permission of the students’ parents and their school,
young girl with autism. Assistance dogs often also
he does his rounds with Lobo in tow.
work with children who have epilepsy, diabetes, are
“The kids just love it,” George says. “They think it’s amputees, or are in wheelchairs.
awesome having a dog on board every day. If there’s
Outside of George’s special needs run and as part of
room, then a dog will come with me morning and night.”
puppy development, he visits other Hamilton schools
Originally from the Manawatu, George and his wife where his assistance dogs socialise and meet other
moved to Hamilton three years ago to be closer to students with disabilities.
her brother and open a pet shop. When George saw
George also helps to fundraise for Assistance Dogs
an advertisement in the local paper from Go Bus
New Zealand.
Transport looking for drivers, he decided to apply.
Special education school transport assistance
“We have a special needs child ourselves so I know a
(SESTA) drivers work throughout the country to
little bit about working with these sorts of children,”
deliver students safely to and from school every day.
8 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 9
SPOTLIGHT ON TARANAKI SPOTLIGHT ON TARANAKI
New library brings a
new way of learning Devastated
school
A small Taranaki school of the school operating out of
transportable classrooms over the
is taking its first steps last six months.
into an innovative
returns
With the repair came an
learning environment. opportunity to reorganise the
Mangorei School principal Michael existing space.
Carr says a new library and “We’ve utilised the space better
home
teaching space are designed as a by taking corridors and things
flexible learning space, and will be out,” Mr Carr says.
a prototype for future upgrades.
The library was expanded and is
“ILE is what everyone’s talking now a multipurpose space, and
about,” he says. a new room created a breakout
“What we feel is that we need space which can be used by
to create spaces that fit with teacher aides.
curriculum design and delivery “We wanted to create spaces that
– that’s the most important, no are multipurpose.
matter what.”
“We’ve got beanbags so it’s a
Mr Carr says he wanted a “blank flexible space.
canvas” that could be added to in
a way which supports the needs “A tiered seat can be picked up and
of the students. moved around wherever we want Principal Craig Simpson surveys
and then put back together again.” the wreckage of Hawera
The Year 1 to 8 school had to Intermediate School, most of
address both weathertightness The library is already popular which burned to the ground
with students, and is providing last year.
and earthquake resilience
issues, which has seen much inspiration for further plans for the
school’s learning environment.
A cold wind sweeps across a broken The learning spaces are flexible and bright, and have
been completed with wireless ICT capability.
stretch of concrete – all that remains of
Revamp coming up for
The Ministry is working with all the schools in Hawera to
a 10-classroom block.
explore options for renewing the education network.
Seven months ago, on an ordinary Tuesday
Spotswood College morning, principal Craig Simpson arrived at Hawera
Intermediate School only to watch it go up in flames.
The design has almost been finalised for a new purpose-built
special needs unit at Spotswood College. By the time the fire was out, 10 of the school’s 14
teaching spaces and the hall were gone.
Construction is expected to start at the New Plymouth school
later this year and be completed in early 2017. The college “They’re emotional places, schools,” he says. “You see
has also been working closely with the Ministry on a planned history disappear, too. A lot of people showed up that
programme of works to upgrade the school’s property. morning.”
While these plans are developed, students are able to use Even more heart-breaking, the whole school had just
their new all-weather sports courts for tennis, netball, beach been upgraded to wireless ICT capability as part of the
volleyball and basketball. Ministry’s school network upgrade project.
Ministry property advisor Laura Keenan (right) says the But the close-knit South Taranaki community rallied
progress is “really positive” for the school. round, and within days, the intermediate school’s 300
students were installed in spare classrooms at Hawera
“We’re not just looking at elements in isolation – we are working High School.
collaboratively with the school towards a long term solution.”
Mr Simpson says he is grateful for the help under what
School executive officer Tracy Eru (left) has a particular he described as “testing” conditions.
connection, as she used to be a student here. Her current office
used to be her seventh-form (Year 13) common room. Now the school is back home, and operating out of a
Craig Simpson with student Ellie, back on school grounds in
temporary village of transportable buildings. the newly completed “village” of temporary classrooms.
10 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 11
SPOTLIGHT ON TARANAKI SPOTLIGHT ON TARANAKI
Modular Devon intermediate School
students Sijeena Poole and
Malakai Latavao are delighted
buildings hit the
they are able to use the
school’s new library, three years
after the whole building was
ruined in a fire.
spot
Vogeltown School principal Jeremy Ogle started
on the same day that the first of the Ministry’s new
modular buildings arrived in New Plymouth.
“There were three trucks with building as she can open doors
three pieces of classroom on to the decks on either side.
them,” he says.
“That’s a great little area,”
“I was down the road watching Jeremy says. “Lee gets out the
them heading into the junior paints and easels and it’s easy to
Modular buildings school on my very first day.” clean up afterwards.”
Modular buildings have a number That was in April last year, and He notes that although the
of advantages for schools, such as 12 months later, the classroom is classroom is open plan, the
being assembled off site, faster to working very well. noise factor is very low.
deliver than traditional classrooms,
“We absolutely love it!” he says. “Some classrooms have to put
Library back in action
built to a high quality and meeting
“We’re very lucky to have it.” baffles in or break up the space
the latest standards for flexible
with furniture. Here, if people
learning spaces. Year 1 teacher Lee Newlands
are talking in one corner, you
says she really enjoys working in
They are available as single, double can still talk in the other corner.”
the new building.
or triple suites, and come with
Jeremy was also surprised at
When a fire destroyed the library “It’s been such a big transformation in the last two
outdoor learning areas. “These are wonderful modern months,” says student Malakai Latavao.
how quickly the building was and administration block, it “ripped
new spaces,” she says. Student Sijeena Poole says the courtyard is popular
The Ministry of Education can installed after the components the heart out” of Devon Intermediate
support schools in making decisions “It’s a flexible space, and we can arrived on site. for breaks, and makes the library more attractive: “It’s
about which types of buildings best use it in lots of different ways.
School. bright and cheerful, much nicer in general.”
“Within a couple of weeks, we
suit their students’ needs. “We lost the hub of our school,” says associate Malakai agrees, saying, “It’s so good. It’s like home –
“I love the bright colours – the were walking around inside it,
principal Jason Avery. my home away from home.”
The timeframe for delivering blues and the reds. the pieces were joined up and
a modular building project the carpet was down,” he says. Three years ago, a fire started in the library on the
“It’s a welcoming environment,
is considerably shorter than ground floor of a two-storey block, and spread
and it will be lovely and warm in “I’d love to have another
traditional building projects, as the unstoppably to the rest of the building. Mr Avery
the winter.” one for our senior school. I’d
school does not need to tender for says the resulting devastation meant that school staff
recommend them to anyone.”
a design team or contractor and Lee also calls it an “all-weather” spent some time “camping” in other buildings, but it
the buildings are prepared off-site. was also an opportunity to rethink the shape of the
school.
This minimises disruption to schools
and allows staff and students to The New Plymouth school had several leaky buildings
focus on teaching and learning. which had been isolated. As some were no longer
needed, they were removed, opening up courtyard
Modular classrooms are intended
space which could be incorporated into the new
to last for generations and are
library and admin complex.
designed to support innovative
learning environments and are Ministry property advisor Laura Keenan says the job
suitable for a wide range of climatic of repairing the buildings was more extensive than
conditions. it looked to start with because it was a two-storey
building.
Because of the quality of the
buildings and durability of “We had to make sure the bones of the building were
materials, boards of trustees will really robust, earthquake resilient, and structurally ok.”
face lower costs in maintaining the
But three years later, students and staff are delighted
buildings over time. Associate principal Jason Avery says the disaster gave them
with the spacious and bright new library, as well as the
the chance to open up the centre of the school to make the
return of suitable office facilities. most of the new building design.
12 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 13
SPOTLIGHT ON TARANAKI CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLS REBUILD
“Golden space” for Homestyle villas for
health school students underway
The ground has been broken and
In a bright new building by a playing
blessed in a sod-turning ceremony at
field, the air is filled with the chocolate
Halswell Residential College.
scent of fresh baking.
The Christchurch college has provided 24-hour
The muffins are out of the oven, and students crowd
care for children and young people with intellectual
round their kitchen counter. Head teacher Vivienne
impairments and complex needs since the 1950s.
Clarke says this is the heart of Northern Health
School’s brand new building, and it helps make it The current 26 students are supported by specialist
comfortable and “homely” for the students. resources, individualised programmes and highly-
trained staff in a stable and nurturing environment.
She says the school’s students face major health
issues such as severe injuries, heart conditions, cancer, The turning of the sod marks the start of a $9
severe diabetes, depression and anxiety disorders. million redevelopment at the school which will see a
transformation from the outdated institutional-style
“For the students with physical illnesses, they need a
dorm buildings to new, home-style villas.
clean and healthy environment,” she says.
The four villas will comfortably accommodate up to
“The students with mental health issues may have had
eight students each, and a multi-purpose learning
negative learning experiences, so it’s important they
space will also be built.
feel safe and welcomed.” Northern Health School head teacher Vivienne Clarke savours
the moment, as student Clerize sets out a batch of muffins to The redevelopment will also strengthen the main
The school’s building is on the Devon Intermediate cool in the school’s inviting new kitchen. school buildings and upgrade the flats used to
School grounds in New Plymouth, and has its own
accommodate visiting parents and caregivers.
access driveway and enclosed vehicle bay.
Over the last few years, an increasing number of At the morning ceremony Associate Education
This is suitable not only for students who have
students put pressure on the existing resource centre Minister Nikki Kaye broke the ground, transferring the
physical disabilities, but also those with anxiety
which provides services for the whole Taranaki district. first sod into a box specially carved by a school staff
disorders who would be unable to walk the length of a
member, where it will be kept until the redevelopment
busy mainstream school. “At one point, there were seven teachers and 20
is complete and it is returned to the site.
students all in one room,” Viv says. “There were
“Here they feel more comfortable – they are still part Minister Nikki Kaye and a Halswell Residential College
teachers sharing desks. The redevelopment is expected to be completed in student at the ground-breaking of the new complex.
of the school with a fine view of the playing fields, but
January 2017.
more protected from the world.” “For us, this space is perfect because it’s got separate
areas for the students to learn in. It is a versatile space
which gives us opportunities to do extra activities
with our students.” Artist’s impression of the new villa complex
The kitchen is one of those areas which offers a
chance for students to learn life skills. As well as being
able to heat up food and make hot drinks, students
can practise cooking and baking.
The Northern Health School has around 600 students
in the North Island. The Taranaki site has about 30
students, although they aren’t all there at once as they
come in at various times during the week.
The exposed wooden frame is a popular design with
new schools, and can be seen in rebuilt schools in
Christchurch such as Marshland School.
Ministry property advisor Laura Keenan says the
collaboration with the health school has resulted in an
excellent facility for the students and teachers.
“It’s a warm, comfortable, homely, bright space,” she
Students find it easy to concentrate in the purpose-built says. “This is a nice golden space.”
complex, which provides the extra support they need.
14 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 15
CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLS REBUILD
Marshland School’s
view on learning
Even with wide rooms some ways. The windowseats are
gorgeous – they can curl up with
and high ceilings, a book.
Marshland School feels
“We were trying to create the
more like a cosy little intimacy of a small school you see
town. in the country.”
The flexible learning spaces are
Furniture and structures have
designed to support the school’s
been arranged innovatively
approach to teaching, which has
throughout the buildings so that
been developed over the last
there are all sorts of learning
two years.
spaces for all types of learners.
Jacqui says that they were already
There are amphitheatres where
prototyping a more collaborative,
several classes can learn together
student-focussed style of teaching
and practise presenting to large
at the old Marshland School, so
groups, and little nooks where
they were ready to use the spaces
students can work on their own or
well when they arrived at the new
in small groups.
school.
In little corners tucked away, Marshland School principal Jacqui
“It’s just all running really Pascoe.
teachers can tutor students
smoothly,” she says.
individually, and open spaces
can be used for a variety of “I think the spaces are helping to
The Christchurch school opened
movement-oriented activities like shape the children’s behaviour.
at the beginning of the year with
drama. There’s a really nice flow of
capacity for up to 400 students,
learning when you go around
Marshland School principal Jacqui but with the surrounding suburb
– kids are comfortable in the
Pascoe says the new buildings growing quickly, and 340 students
environment.”
are “working really well”, and the already attending, the next stage
acoustics are excellent. The original Marshland School was of development has already begun.
damaged in the earthquakes, and
“People think that students This will accommodate a further
the ground wasn’t stable enough
would find it hard to hear in a big 100 students, and add a special
to rebuild on the same site, so
building, but they don’t,” she says. education facility for up to 16
it has moved to a new location
students. It will be completedd by
“It’s no noisier than an ordinary down the road.
the start of the 2017 school year.
classroom – in fact, it’s quieter in
Limited and Paul McCredie
Stephenson & Turner NZ
Stephenson & Turner NZ Limited and Paul McCredie
16 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 17
CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLS REBUILD
Warm welcome
for West Rolleston
School
The West Rolleston Primary School site important to provide assurance around the uncertainty.”
was surrounded by paddocks on all One aspect of planning which worked in the Ministry’s
and the Board’s favour was the plan to build flexible
sides when it was selected for the new
learning spaces throughout the school.
school at the beginning of 2014.
“Flexible spaces can cater for a range of pedagogies,
Two years later, the fast-growing town of Rolleston which was particularly important as we had to start
has already reached its gates. building before we knew what this school’s pedagogy
was going to be.”
The new $16.8 million school has been welcomed as
a much-needed addition for the town, and it already Sylvia said the decision worked out well.
has more than 80 students. “The flexibility of the learning space enables us to do
Principal Sylvia Fidow says the school is tipped to more,” she says.
pass the 100-student mark by the end of the year. The school has room for up to 750 students, and
“I love the library and reception area,” she says, space for the Waitaha School satellite, supporting 16
adding that she plans to share the space with the students with additional learning needs.
community before and after school. An official ceremony to celebrate the opening of the
Ministry delivery manager Robert Lyall says he first school was attended by Associate Education Minister
walked onto the site in March 2014 when the Ministry Nikki Kaye, and local MP Amy Adams, as well as many
was looking for a location for the new school. representatives from other Canterbury schools.
“I remember standing there and trying to get my West Rolleston School is the sixth school to open
head around what’s going to happen with the site as part of the Ministry’s Christchurch Schools
and how we were going to bring it to life,” he says. Rebuild programme.
A really important part of developing a new school Robert says it’s great to see the school finally
was working with the Establishment Board of Trustees. finished.
“I explain the process they’re going to go through, and “It’s really a combination of pride but not just at the
explain the journey,” he says. “At that point, they don’t building outcome – more at the fact that the school’s
know what decisions they’ll have to make so it’s really there and the kids are there... and relief as well!”
Ministers Amy Adams and Nikki Kaye join principal Sylvia Ministry delivery manager Robert Lyall in the centre of West
Fidow and West Rolleston School students in marking the Rolleston School’s courtyard – the first time he stood here, it
school’s formal opening with a tree-planting. was just a paddock.
13 | INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS
18 INFRASTRUCTURE MATTERS | 19Lifting aspiration and raising educational
achievement for every New Zealander
Cover image:
Marshland School (photo by Stephenson & Turner NZ Limited and Paul McCredie)
Publisher:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
© Crown Copyright
All rights reserved
MAY 2016
ISBN 978-0-478-16820-4
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